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I'd like to put some decent yet not too terribly expensive ear buds on my x-mas list this year. Any idea which ones seem to be the best value?
Or perhaps a set of semi-collapsible headphones?
Any opinions?
Thanks
Chop
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Few people agree on a subject as subjective as sound.
There are grades or levels that are generally agreed upon, but Best? No way, because Best is relative.
I'm looking at the V-Mode Vibe or Duo for about $100. I like in-earbuds that aren't bass-heavy.
If you're looking for "decent" 'phones, I'd look at the $100-$150 price range. Most anything less will be a huge compromise, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
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How much do you want to spend.
For under $150, the best combo of sound and comfort is the Shure midrange (the older version is E3C, E4C, etc.) and Comply cushions (you know, the squeezy part that goes around the part that actually puts the sound into your ear.
For about $50, Sennheiser makes a nice model, CX300, I think it is.
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Unfortunately, everyone has different ears. I have yet to find a set of earbuds that works, let alone sounds good. I sweat, so the foam-sit-on-the-ear headsets collect sweat and that's a gross feeling. The in ear hard earbuds hurt me. I tried Sony's earsets with the squishable plastic. The best so far, but they keep coming out. JVC marshmallow earbuds don't work.
So it's trial and error.
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Chopper,
I despise ear buds but had to go for them when I realized I needed noise blocking/suppressing headphones. It turns out they're awesome for just general day to day usage and especially great for listening to music in a noisy environment, i.e. cardio boxing class at the gym.
The models I use are Comply NR-10 Noise Reduction headphones. They have special tips on the ends of the speakers. You compress these and insert the speaker in your ear. Think of them as a cross between ear plugs and headphones. They are surprisingly comfortable and work exceptionally well. The tips do need replacement every but the performance definitely makes these well worth the money.
There are other versions from different manufacturers which are possibly less expensive. These are the first I saw at the time and my gut told me to go with them. Definitely no regrets at all.
Robert
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for the price, you can't beat the Koss Plug (not the Sparkplug),
check amazon. i'm on my tx so links are tedious.